Every week, we’ll take a look back in 5-year intervals at the box office past to explore how Oscar’s nominees were doing at the box office each weekend historically. All data is collected from Box Office Mojo. The first section under each year is the positioning of all Oscar nominees during that weekend at the box office (as well as a section looking at the inflation-adjusted numbers). The third section is an alphabetical list of those films and the categories in which they were nominated. And to start each week off, we’ll be looking at the films releasing over the weekend that have the best chance of getting Oscar nominations and specifying the categories where we think they have the best shots at this stage of the game. If you have any suggestions for more data you’d like to see, please let us know.

This Year: Potential Oscar Nominees Releasing This Weekend

Ben Is Back (Limited)

Oscar Potential: Actress (Julia Roberts).

Mary Queen of Scots (Limited)

Oscar Potential: Picture, Directing, Actress (Saoirse Ronan), Supporting Actress (Margot Robbie), Original Score, Film Editing, Cinematography, Production Design, Costume Design, Makeup & Hairstyling, Sound Mixing, Sound Editing.

Vox Lux (Limited)

Oscar Potential: Actress (Natalie Portman).

5 Years Ago: The Weekend of Dec. 6-8, 2013

Weekend Box Office:

1. Frozen – $31,616,230 ($134,253,666 total) {week 3}
7. The Book Thief – $2,625,623 ($12,000,678 total) {week 5}
9. Philomena – $2,195,341 ($8,167,976 total) {week 3}
10. Dallas Buyers Club – $1,505,669 ($12,453,993 total) {week 6}
12. Gravity – $1,211,279 ($251,486,533 total) {week 10}
13. 12 Years a Slave – $1,146,959 ($35,019,079 total) {week 8}
15. Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa – $820,378 ($100,020,913 total) {week 7}
16. Nebraska – $521,279 ($2,238,757 total) {week 4}
17. Captain Phillips – $510,201 ($103,500,578 total) {week 9}
19. Inside Llewyn Davis – $405,411 ($405,411 total) {week 1}
26. Despicable Me 2 – $171,360 ($367,157,955 total) {week 23}
29. All Is Lost – $106,529 ($5,486,169 total) {week 8}
30. The Great Beauty – $89,819 ($396,943 total) {week 4}
31. Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom – $75,394 ($181,110 total) {week 2}
45. Blue Jasmine – $27,360 ($32,785,747 total) {week 20}
76. 20 Feet from Stardom – $2,592 ($4,779,608 total) {week 26}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Frozen – $32,413,613 ($137,639,635 total)
7. The Book Thief – $2,691,843 ($12,303,343 total)
9. Philomena – $2,250,709 ($8,373,978 total)
10. Dallas Buyers Club – $1,543,643 ($12,768,091 total)
12. Gravity – $1,241,828 ($257,829,195 total)
13. 12 Years a Slave – $1,175,886 ($35,902,284 total)
15. Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa – $841,068 ($102,543,509 total)
16. Nebraska – $534,426 ($2,295,220 total)
17. Captain Phillips – $523,069 ($106,110,933 total)
19. Inside Llewyn Davis – $415,636 ($415,636 total)
26. Despicable Me 2 – $175,682 ($376,417,929 total)
29. All Is Lost – $109,216 ($5,624,534 total)
30. The Great Beauty – $92,084 ($406,954 total)
31. Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom – $77,295 ($185,678 total)
45. Blue Jasmine – $28,050 ($33,612,626 total)
76. 20 Feet from Stardom – $2,657 ($4,900,153 total)

Oscar Details:

• 12 Years a Slave: Picture [O], Directing, Actor (Chiwetel Ejiofor), Supporting Actor (Michael Fassbender), Supporting Actress (Lupita Nyong’o) [O], Adapted Screenplay [O], Film Editing, Production Design, Costume Design
• 20 Feet from Stardom: Documentary Feature [O]
• All Is Lost: Sound Editing
• Blue Jasmine: Actress (Cate Blanchett) [O], Supporting Actress (Sally Hawkins), Original Screenplay
• The Book Thief: Original Score
• Captain Phillips: Picture, Supporting Actor (Barkhad Abdi), Adapted Screenplay, Film Editing, Sound Mixing, Sound Editing
• Dallas Buyers Club: Picture, Actor (Matthew McConaughey) [O], Supporting Actor (Jared Leto) [O], Original Screenplay, Film Editing, Makeup and Hairstyling [O]
• Despicable Me 2: Animated Feature, Original Song (“Happy”)
• Frozen: Animated Feature [O], Original Song (“Let It Go”) [O]
• Gravity: Picture, Directing [O], Actress (Sandra Bullock), Original Score [O], Film Editing [O], Cinematography [O], Production Design, Sound Mixing [O], Sound Editing [O], Visual Effects [O]
• The Great Beauty: Foreign Language Film [O]
• Inside Llewyn Davis: Cinematography, Sound Mixing
• Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa: Makeup and Hairstyling
• Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom: Original Song (“Ordinary Love”)
• Nebraska: Picture, Directing, Actor (Bruce Dern), Supporting Actress (June Squibb), Original Screenplay, Cinematography
• Philomena: Picture, Actress (Judi Dench), Adapted Screenplay, Original Score

10 Years Ago: The Weekend of Dec. 5-7, 2008

Weekend Box Office:

3. Bolt – $9,796,149 ($79,381,422 total) {week 3}
4. Australia – $7,050,261 ($30,919,097 total) {week 2}
11. Milk – $1,834,914 ($4,284,465 total) {week 2}
12. Slumdog Millionaire – $1,402,176 ($5,339,510 total) {week 4}
14. Changeling – $501,070 ($34,683,447 total) {week 7}
16. Rachel Getting Married – $285,331 ($9,226,246 total) {week 10}
21. The Dark Knight – $187,418 ($530,540,885 total) {week 21}
22. Frost/Nixon – $180,708 ($180,708 total) {week 1}
26. Happy-Go-Lucky – $141,162 ($2,861,186 total) {week 9}
36. WALL-E – $46,898 ($223,704,223 total) {week 24}
38. The Duchess – $44,684 ($13,823,741 total) {week 12}
51. Vicky Cristina Barcelona – $23,467 ($22,512,805 total) {week 17}
68. Man on Wire – $7,728 ($2,895,073 total) {week 20}
85. Trouble the Water – $3,032 ($477,452 total) {week 16}
89. Frozen River – $2,597 ($2,291,511 total) {week 19}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

3. Bolt – $8,869,653 ($71,873,721 total)
4. Australia – $6,383,465 ($27,994,844 total)
11. Milk – $1,661,372 ($3,879,251 total)
12. Slumdog Millionaire – $1,269,562 ($4,834,512 total)
14. Changeling – $453,680 ($31,403,171 total)
16. Rachel Getting Married – $258,345 ($8,353,650 total)
21. The Dark Knight – $169,692 ($480,363,626 total)
22. Frost/Nixon – $163,617 ($163,617 total)
26. Happy-Go-Lucky – $127,811 ($2,590,582 total)
36. WALL-E – $42,463 ($202,546,825 total)
38. The Duchess – $40,458 ($12,516,325 total)
51. Vicky Cristina Barcelona – $21,248 ($20,383,599 total)
68. Man on Wire – $6,997 ($2,621,264 total)
85. Trouble the Water – $2,745 ($432,296 total)
89. Frozen River – $2,351 ($2,074,785 total)

Oscar Details:

• Australia: Costume Design
• Bolt: Animated Feature
• Changeling: Actress (Angelina Jolie), Cinematography, Art Direction
• The Dark Knight: Supporting Actor (Heath Ledger) [O], Editing, Cinematography, Art Direction, Makeup, Sound Mixing, Sound Editing [O], Visual Effects
• The Duchess: Art Direction, Costume Design [O]
• Frost/Nixon: Picture, Director, Actor (Frank Langella), Adapted Screenplay, Editing
• Frozen River: Actress (Melissa Leo), Original Screenplay
• Happy-Go-Lucky: Original Screenplay
• Man on Wire: Documentary Feature [O]
• Milk: Picture, Director, Actor (Sean Penn) [O], Supporting Actor (Josh Brolin), Original Screenplay [O], Original Score, Editing, Costume Design
• Rachel Getting Married: Actress (Anne Hathaway)
• Slumdog Millionaire: Picture [O], Director [O], Adapted Screenplay [O], Original Song (“Jai Ho”) [O], Original Score [O], Editing [O], Cinematography [O], Sound Mixing [O], Sound Editing
• Trouble the Water: Documentary Feature
• Vicky Cristina Barcelona: Supporting Actress (Penelope Cruz) [O]
• WALL-E: Animated Feature [O], Original Screenplay, Original Song (“Down to Earth”), Original Score, Sound Mixing, Sound Editing

15 Years Ago: The Weekend of Dec. 5-7, 2003

Weekend Box Office:

1. The Last Samurai – $24,271,354 ($24,271,354 total) {week 1}
9. Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World – $3,722,008 ($72,555,668 total) {week 4}
13. Brother Bear – $1,259,466 ($79,475,621 total) {week 7}
14. Mystic River – $622,480 ($51,900,754 total) {week 9}
16. 21 Grams – $502,327 ($2,388,710 total) {week 3}
20. Lost in Translation – $283,758 ($29,310,248 total) {week 13}
28. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl – $165,101 ($305,132,644 total) {week 22}
31. In America – $143,380 ($471,347 total) {week 2}
35. Pieces of April – $108,865 ($2,122,525 total) {week 8}
37. The Cooler – $75,699 ($291,603 total) {week 2}
43. The Triplets of Belleville – $57,907 ($233,655 total) {week 2}
48. Tupac: Resurrection – $50,041 ($7,646,264 total) {week 4}
56. Seabiscuit – $26,528 ($120,197,488 total) {week 20}
57. My Architect – $25,617 ($221,219 total) {week 4}
69. Dirty Pretty Things – $10,484 ($8,032,989 total) {week 21}
73. City of God – $7,732 ($4,749,939 total) {week 47}
75. The Weather Underground – $7,064 ($488,614 total) {week 27}
79. Winged Migration – $6,418 ($10,753,575 total) {week 34}
83. Finding Nemo – $4,918 ($339,711,822 total) {week 28}
97. Thirteen – $2,656 ($4,595,069 total) {week 16}
118. Spellbound – $523 ($5,728,431 total) {week 32}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. The Last Samurai – $18,456,023 ($18,456,023 total)
9. Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World – $2,830,228 ($55,171,586 total)
13. Brother Bear – $957,702 ($60,433,543 total)
14. Mystic River – $473,336 ($39,465,517 total)
16. 21 Grams – $381,971 ($1,816,384 total)
20. Lost in Translation – $215,771 ($22,287,616 total)
28. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl – $125,543 ($232,023,940 total)
31. In America – $109,027 ($358,414 total)
35. Pieces of April – $82,781 ($1,613,976 total)
37. The Cooler – $57,562 ($221,736 total)
43. The Triplets of Belleville – $44,033 ($177,672 total)
48. Tupac: Resurrection – $38,051 ($5,814,246 total)
56. Seabiscuit – $20,172 ($91,398,594 total)
57. My Architect – $19,479 ($168,216 total)
69. Dirty Pretty Things – $7,972 ($6,108,313 total)
73. City of God – $5,879 ($3,611,870 total)
75. The Weather Underground – $5,371 ($371,544 total)
79. Winged Migration – $4,880 ($8,177,056 total)
83. Finding Nemo – $3,740 ($258,318,069 total)
97. Thirteen – $2,020 ($3,494,107 total)
118. Spellbound – $398 ($4,355,919 total)

Oscar Details:

• 21 Grams: Actress (Naomi Watts), Supporting Actor (Benicio Del Toro)
• Brother Bear: Animated Feature
• City of God: Director, Adapted Screenplay, Editing, Cinematography
• The Cooler: Supporting Actor (Alec Baldwin)
• Dirty Pretty Things: Original Screenplay
• Finding Nemo: Animated Feature [O], Original Screenplay, Original Score, Sound Editing
• In America: Actress (Samantha Morton), Supporting Actor (Djimon Hounsou), Original Screenplay
• The Last Samurai: Supporting Actor (Ken Watanabe), Art Direction, Costume Design, Sound Mixing
• Lost in Translation: Picture, Director, Actor (Bill Murray), Original Screenplay [O]
• Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World: Picture, Director, Editing, Cinematography [O], Art Direction, Costume Design, Makeup, Sound Mixing, Sound Editing [O], Visual Effects
• My Architect: Documentary Feature
• Mystic River: Picture, Director, Actor (Sean Penn) [O], Supporting Actor (Tim Robbins) [O], Supporting Actress (Marcia Gay Harden), Adapted Screenplay
• Pieces of April: Supporting Actress (Patricia Clarkson)
• Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl: Actor (Johnny Depp), Makeup, Sound Mixing, Sound Editing, Visual Effects
• Seabiscuit: Picture, Adapted Screenplay, Editing, Cinematography, Art Direction, Costume Design, Sound Mixing
• Spellbound: Documentary Feature
• Thirteen: Supporting Actress (Holly Hunter)
• The Triplets of Belleville: Animated Feature, Original Song (“Belleville Rendez-vous”)
• Tupac: Resurrection : Documentary Feature
• The Weather Underground: Documentary Feature
• Winged Migration: Documentary Feature

20 Years Ago: The Weekend of Dec. 4-6, 1998

Weekend Box Office:

1. A Bug’s Life – $17,174,218 ($68,678,006 total) {week 3}
7. Babe: Pig in the City – $2,375,065 ($11,421,985 total) {week 2}
8. Elizabeth – $1,954,089 ($9,780,813 total) {week 5}
14. Life Is Beautiful – $720,955 ($6,207,910 total) {week 7}
999. Little Voice – $93,722 ($93,722 total) {week 1}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. A Bug’s Life – $10,157,261 ($40,617,888 total)
7. Babe: Pig in the City – $1,404,673 ($6,755,247 total)
8. Elizabeth – $1,155,697 ($5,784,617 total)
14. Life Is Beautiful – $426,391 ($3,671,513 total)
999. Little Voice – $55,430 ($55,430 total)

Oscar Details:

• Babe: Pig in the City: Original Song (“That’ll Do”)
• A Bug’s Life: Original Musical or Comedy Score
• Elizabeth: Picture, Actress (Cate Blanchett), Original Dramatic Score, Cinematography, Art Direction, Costume Design, Makeup
• Life Is Beautiful: Picture, Director, Actor (Roberto Benigni) [O], Original Screenplay, Original Dramatic Score [O], Editing, Foreign Language Film [O]
• Little Voice: Supporting Actress (Brenda Blethyn)

25 Years Ago: The Weekend of Dec. 3-5, 1993

Weekend Box Office:

1. Mrs. Doubtfire – $14,735,459 ($46,702,649 total) {week 2}
3. Addams Family Values – $4,587,571 ($36,248,838 total) {week 3}
7. The Piano – $1,701,363 ($7,502,744 total) {week 4}
8. The Nightmare Before Christmas – $1,490,082 ($45,652,234 total) {week 8}
11. The Remains of the Day – $1,222,555 ($12,503,224 total) {week 5}
12. Jurassic Park – $107,525 ($334,849,095 total) {week 26}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Mrs. Doubtfire – $7,692,913 ($24,381,963 total)
3. Addams Family Values – $2,395,024 ($18,924,362 total)
7. The Piano – $888,227 ($3,916,943 total)
8. The Nightmare Before Christmas – $777,924 ($23,833,575 total)
11. The Remains of the Day – $638,257 ($6,527,534 total)
12. Jurassic Park – $56,135 ($174,814,029 total)

Oscar Details:

• Addams Family Values: Art Direction
• Jurassic Park: Sound [O], Sound Effects [O], Visual Effects [O]
• Mrs. Doubtfire: Makeup [O]
• The Nightmare Before Christmas: Visual Effects
• The Piano: Picture, Director, Actress (Holly Hunter) [O], Supporting Actress (Anna Paquin) [O], Original Screenplay [O], Editing, Cinematography, Costume Design
• The Remains of the Day: Picture, Director, Anthony Hopkins, Actress (Emma Thompson), Adapted Screenplay, Original Score, Art Direction, Costume Design

30 Years Ago: The Weekend of Dec. 2-4, 1988

Weekend Box Office:

2. Scrooged – $7,505,520 ($29,287,158 total) {week 2}
3. Tequila Sunrise – $6,350,974 ($6,350,974 total) {week 1}
9. The Accused – $725,273 ($27,740,225 total) {week 8}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

2. Scrooged – $3,889,998 ($15,179,094 total)
3. Tequila Sunrise – $3,291,615 ($3,291,615 total)
9. The Accused – $375,898 ($14,377,342 total)

Oscar Details:

• The Accused: Actress (Jodie Foster) [O]
• Scrooged: Makeup
• Tequila Sunrise: Cinematography

35 Years Ago: The Weekend of Dec. 9-11, 1983

Weekend Box Office:

3. Terms of Endearment – $4,245,520 ($14,295,349 total) {week 3}
5. Yentl – $3,050,219 ($5,884,162 total) {week 4}
7. The Big Chill – $1,102,466 ($40,118,255 total) {week 11}
11. Educating Rita – $396,723 ($9,337,554 total) {week 12}
12. The Right Stuff – $368,225 ($11,922,987 total) {week 8}
999. Return of the Jedi – $158,486 ($244,583,982 total) {week 29}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

3. Terms of Endearment – $1,686,430 ($5,678,480 total)
5. Yentl – $1,211,625 ($2,337,341 total)
7. The Big Chill – $437,928 ($15,936,003 total)
11. Educating Rita – $157,589 ($3,709,117 total)
12. The Right Stuff – $146,268 ($4,736,117 total)
999. Return of the Jedi – $62,955 ($97,155,050 total)

Oscar Details:

• The Big Chill: Picture, Supporting Actress (Glenn Close), Original Screenplay
• Educating Rita: Actor (Michael Caine), Actress (Julie Walters), Adapted Screenplay
• Return of the Jedi: Original Score, Art Direction, Sound, Sound Effects, Visual Effects [O]
• The Right Stuff: Picture, Supporting Actor (Sam Shepard), Original Score, Editing [O], Cinematography, Art Direction, Sound [O], Sound Effects [O]
• Terms of Endearment: Picture [O], Directing [O], Actress (Shirley MacLaine) [O], Actress (Debra Winger), Supporting Actor (John Lithgow), Supporting Actor (Jack Nicholson) [O], Adapted Screenplay [O], Original Score, Editing, Art Direction, Sound
• Yentl: Supporting Actress (Amy Irving), Original Song (“Papa, Can You Hear Me?”), Original Song (“The Way He Makes Me Feel”), Original Song Score [O], Art Direction